Method for Referring to Specific Content on a Web Page and Web Browsing System

ABSTRACT

A method for referring to specific content on a web page includes addressing the web page by way of a URL. At least one extra part of the URL contains information on the specific content to be referred to on the web page. When the one extra part of the URL is disregarded, the web page is addressed by way of the URL in that the specific content to be referred to on the web page is disregarded. When the one extra part of the URL is acted upon, the specific content identified by the extra part is highlighted to a user via a browser&#39;s generation of the web page based on the extra part of the URL.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to European Patent ApplicationNo. 14003988.4, which was filed on Nov. 26, 2014. The entirety of thisEuropean patent application is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention relates to a method for referring tospecific content on a web page and systems configured to implement themethod.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In case of a user being interested in content on a web page the UniformResource Locator (URL) corresponding to the web page is inputted into abrowsing program or activated by clicking a link and the web page isdisplayed to the user via a display device (e.g. a computer monitor ordisplay of an electronic device or peripheral device connected to theelectronic device). The problem arises when the user wants to refer tospecific content, like a keyword, a phrase or a section, in the webpage.

Known web browsing systems only provide insufficient solutions for saidproblem. Single browsing programs, like add-ons in Chrome (YellowHighlighter Pen For Web) and in Firefox (Highlights), provide similarfunctionality but not any global solution. Another partial solution isgiven by U.S. Pat. No. 8,352,573, which relates to a method and anapparatus for automatically embedding and emailing user-generatedhighlights. But, this solution requires an additional highlightingservice server.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of a communication system, device, method, andnon-transitory computer readable medium can be configured to provide asimple browsing apparatus that is server independent and allowsreference to specific content on a web page.

For instance, embodiments of a method for referring to specific contenton a web page comprises addressing the web page by way of a URL, whereinat least one extra part of the URL contains information on the specificcontent to be referred to on the web page. When the URL is modified bythe one extra part of the URL being disregarded or omitted, the web pageis addressed by way of the modified URL in that the specific content tobe referred to on the web page is disregarded.

Since at least one extra part of the URL contains information on thespecific content to be referred to on the web page this information isaccessible independently of the used browsing program and can be readout each time the web page is addressed by the URL. Furthermore, thereis no need for any service server as an additional information resource.For instance, when the one extra part of the URL is disregarded/omittedin a modified form of the URL, the web page is addressed by way of themodified URL in that the specific content to be referred to on the webpage is disregarded the functionality of the web page is not limitedsuch that it can be displayed by any browser even not supporting readout of the extra URL part. The referral may be in the form ofhighlighting the specific content with respect to the content which isnon-specific. The highlighting may be in the form of underlining thespecial content, using bold and/or cursive font, and/or using a colorwhich is different from the color of the non-specific content.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises displaying the webpage thereby highlighting the specific content to be referred to. Thisembodiment allows an optimized information of a user and immediatereference such that the specific content is recognizable in a simple andimmediate way by the user.

Embodiments of the invention can provide an advanced information servicefor the users of a web browsing system. For this purpose, the at leastone extra URL part can contain information on at least one keyword, atleast one phrase and/or at least one section to be referred to and/orhighlighted on the web page.

In a highly preferred embodiment of the invention the web page isdisplayed by a browser. This embodiment makes possible an information ofthe user in a very simple and efficient way and allows the user to reactto specific content on the web page immediately and individually.

For purpose of avoiding limited and/or failing web page display,typically, this highly preferred embodiment of the invention comprisesverifying whether the browser can read the extra part of the URL anddisplaying the web page either by disregarding the specific content ifthe browser is unable to read the extra part of the URL, or otherwisedisplaying the web page along with the specific content.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises generating the atleast one extra part of the URL by marking specific content to bereferred to on the web page by a user, preferably by a cursor, andadding the corresponding extra part to the URL of the web page by aspecific program, preferably integrated into a browser. This embodimentcan enable a user to refer to specific content on a web page fordifferent individual purposes, like use in other applications,documentation, etc. The respective extra part of the URL is createdsimply, e.g. by selecting the desired text with the mouse, opening thecontext menu and selecting the respective new entry “encapsulatehighlighted part into URL”.

A more efficient level of extra part generation is achieved by apreferred embodiment of the invention wherein the adding of thecorresponding extra part to the URL is executed by a right-click (e.g.via a right click of a right-side button of a mouse pointer connected toa terminal device).

A URL input into a browser consists of several parts. An anchor-likefragment for identifying a location within the web page and where toscroll to identify keywords or phrases. In a preferred embodiment of theinvention the used and/or generated extra part of the URL comprises asyntax of at least one character followed by an Equal-to-sign such as‘##hl=’. Occurrences of a given keyword or phrase other web page definedby the modified URL, e.g. ##hl=“xyz”, are automatically highlighted whendisplaying the web page defined by the modified URL. In this embodiment,the keyword or phrase is defined by the content following the

Equal-to-sign in execution characters. The content may be a singlecharacter or a string of characters. In other embodiments the executioncharacter may be missing or replaced by another sign/character or othersigns/characters. The Equal-to-sign may be omitted or be replaced byanother sign. The syntax may be of any form allowing to define a keywordor phrase to be referred to in the web page defined by the modified URL.The keyword or phrase may be arranged in the string of the URL before orafter the syntax. There may be an intermediate character or severalintermediate characters between the keyword or phrase and the syntax.

The keyword or phrase may be single character such as a letter ornumber/digit/numeral or a multitude thereof. A special sign is possibleas well. The extra part generation and the web page display aresimplified by another preferred embodiment of the invention wherein theat least one extra part of the URL is comprised by another URL as anextension of the other URL addressing the web page without the specificcontent to be referred to on the web page.

A user-friendly generation service can be provided by an embodiment ofthe invention wherein the URL containing the extra part of the URL iscopied to a clipboard on a computer whereon the web page is addressed.

A web browsing system can comprise means for addressing a web page byway of a URL, means for displaying the web page and for therebyhighlighting specific content to be referred to on the web page, whereinthe system is able to read and/or to generate at least one extra part ofthe URL containing information on the specific content to be referred toon the web page in a way that, when the URL is modified by the one extrapart of the URL being disregarded or omitted, the web page is addressedby way of the modified URL in that the specific content to be referredto on the web page is disregarded. This means may include a displaydevice connected to a computer device having at least one input deviceconnected to the computer device.

The user comfort can be increased by a preferred embodiment of theinvention wherein the system comprises means for marking specificcontent to be referred to on the web page by a user, preferably via acursor. The cursor may be manipulated by a user via input provided by atleast one input device (e.g. a pointer such as a stylus, a mouse, or thefinger of a user contacting a touch screen).

Another preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in thatthe system comprises a graphical user interface for display of the webpage to the user and for inputs of the user. This embodiment has theadvantage of simple user input and user-friendly handling of the webbrowsing system.

Embodiments of the system can be integrated into a personal device, inparticular a tablet or a smartphone or other type of electronic devicethat includes a processor connected to memory and at least onetransceiver unit.

Further features and advantages of embodiments of the invention aredisclosed by the enclosed drawings and the corresponding description.The features mentioned can be used in accordance with embodiments of theinvention either individually or collectively in any combination. Theembodiments mentioned are not to be understood as exhaustive enumerationbut rather have exemplary character for the description of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary devices, systems, and apparatuses for providing a generationof a display of specific content of a web page are shown in theaccompanying drawings and certain exemplary methods of practicing thesame are also illustrated therein. It should be understood that likereference numbers used in the drawings may identify like components.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a method for displaying a web pageaccording to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a method for generating an extra URL partreferring to specific content on a web page according to an embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, in an initial step S0 a user can enter the URL in abrowser or actuate a link by use of an input device connected to anelectronic device such as a computer, smart phone, electronic tablet, orother type of communication terminal, thereby activating the URL. Insucceeding first step S1 the system verifies whether the browser iscompatible with extra URL parts if present. In case of YES the browserreads the URL without any restrictions in second step S2 and verifies inthird step S3 whether the URL contains at least one extra URL partreferring to specific content on the web page. In case of YES thebrowser renders the web page as usual and then highlights the specificcontent to be referred to in fourth step S4 so that this web pagecontent is displayed with highlighted indicia on a display device to auser. Afterwards, the process comes to an end E.

In case of NO in the first step S1 the URL is sent normally in secondalternative step T2 and best effort service is provided in thirdalternative step T3. Fourth alternative step T4 succeeds either thethird alternative step T3 or the third step S3 in case of NO. In fourthalternative step T4 the browser renders the web page as usual.Afterwards, the process comes to the end E.

The extra URL part, e.g. a new field “hl” in the fragment part of theURL can be configured to cause the browser of the device that isgenerating the web page to display the web page so that particularcontent of the web page is highlighted. The extra URL part may be a newfield “hl” or other fragment part. In some embodiments, anothercharacter or sign or several other characters/signs are possible insteadof “hl”. An advantage from use of such an extra URL part is the transferof more information to the interested party when watching the web pagewith one click. For example, a user can introduce a field in thefragment part of the URL annotated with “##hl=abcd” as the extra partthat will highlight all the occurrences of abcd as a keyword in thegiven web page when the generated link is actuated to render the webpage in step S4. Web browsers may have to be adapted to support theextra URL part related feature. The extra URL part can be configured sothat web browsers not supporting the highlight feature instructionindicated by the extra URL part will render the web page correctly sincethe “##hl=‘abcd’” part could be ignored by such browsers. For instance,the URL request of the extra URL part can be neglected from devices thatdo not support the extra URL part feature because it is in the fragmentpart of the URL (see alternative step T4).

Also, if the user wants to mark multiple keywords with the use of “+”symbol or the logical “OR”. However, this is limited by the maximumnumber of characters that can be entered in a URL, which is currently255. This can be shown on the example below:

http://www.unify.com/us/products-services/unified-communications.aspx##hl=“Applications”OR“Frost”

This can mark both the “Applications” keyword and the “Frost” keywordwith all their occurrences by use of this exemplary extra URL partfeature.

Another feature could be included in the extra URL part to give ahighlighted keyword a different weighting by giving an associatedhighlighting color indication within the extra URL part format, such as,for example, yellow (e.g. ″##hly=. . .), red (e.g. ″##hlr=. . .), blue(e.g. ″##hlb=. . . ) and/or green (e.g. ″##hlg=. . . ).

The illustration of FIG. 2 presumes a web page displayed to the user bya web browsing system 2. In first step s1 the system verifies whetherthe browser is compatible with extra URL part(s) that may be insertedinto a pre-existing URL for causing a display of the webpage addressedat the original URL via a display device 4 to include highlightedcontent as defined in the extra URL part(s) to be added to the originalURL. In case of YES the user marks with the mouse cursor or otherpointer device or other type of input device 9 (e.g. stylus, use offinger on a touch screen etc.) the text that he or she intends to referto and to send, respectively, in second step s2. The user selects thecorresponding browser function as defined by code stored in a program 6(e.g. a browser application, an application configured to interface witha browser application for generation of a URL having at least one extraURL part, a computer program or device program that defines one or moremethods that may be performed by a device when a processor of the deviceexecutes the program) in non-transitory memory 7 that is coupled to aprocessor 5, e.g. by providing a first input via a right click mouse toprovide a display of a menu feature such as an “Encapsulate highlightedpart in URL and copy in clipboard” menu feature and then selects thatfeature in third step s3 (e.g. via providing of a second input made by aleft click on the mouse used to call up the menu options). In asucceeding fourth step s4 the browser generates the extra URL part byreading the highlighted text and combining it with the current URL inresponse to the selection of the menu item. The generated URL thatcontains the original URL and the extra URL part can be generated sothat it is included into a clipboard or other data store 8 in a memorylocation of the device 1 so that a paste operation can result in havingthat generated URL containing the extra URL part inserted into a webbrowser, word processor, or other communications related applicationfile (e.g. an email message, a text message, an instant message, etc.)For instance, the user may then provide input by use of an input device9 (e.g. a pointer device, a keyboard, a touch screen display, etc.) toinstruct the web browsing system (e.g. a device 1 running a web browserprogram 6 such as, for example, a terminal device like a smartphone ortablet that has hardware including non-transitory memory 7 coupled to atleast one processor 5 and at least one transceiver 3 coupled to at leastone processor 5) to paste the generated URL into his or her browser tohave the web page generated with highlighting of the content identifiedby the extra URL part appended to an end portion of the original URLthat was previously generated. The user may also (or alternatively)provide input to paste the generated URL having the extra URL part intoa text message, email, instant message, or other communication messagefor sending to other users of other terminal devices 11 and 13. When therecipient users receive that URL in a communication via that recipientuser's terminal 11 or 13 device, they may provide input via a mouse,pointer or other input device to actuate the

URL having the extra URL part. The browser run by the recipient's devicemay then generate the web page having the URL and highlight text in thewebpage for display via a display device (e.g. touch screen display orliquid crystal display, etc.) of the device or connected to the device,a section of text in the web page, or other content of the web pagebased on the instructions conveyed by the extra URL part (e.g.highlighting of certain key words in green font or highlight aparticular paragraph of text in yellow, etc.). In the event thatrecipient user's browser does not support the extra URL part, theactuation of the link may occur such that the webpage is displayed tothat recipient without any highlighting by that browser device ignoringthe extra part of the URL to generate the original web page contentwithout any highlighting as defined by the extra URL part. Afterwards,the process comes to an end e.

In case of NO in the first step s1 no extra URL part is generated andthe URL remains unmodified. Immediately, the process comes to the end e.

When the user wants to send a highlighted area of a given web page toanother user he can have the functionality to encapsulate the highlightpart into the web page's URL, (see the encapsulation of the selectedtext into the URL with the right-click pop-up option in FIG. 2 and asdiscussed herein).

For example, if the URL ishttp://www.unify.com/us/products-services/unified-communications.aspxthen after the above procedure the copied link can behttp://www.unify.com/us/products-services/unified-communications.aspx##hl=“Applications”(e.g. with the ##hl=“Applications being the extra part of the URL addedto the original URL). That link may then be included in a message (e.g.a text message, email, instant message, social network applicationmessage such as direct message using the Twitter application or acomment posting on a website, etc.) that is subsequently sent to adevice associated with the addressed user (e.g. an email server, userdevice, web server, etc.).

A technical feature or several technical features which has/have beendisclosed with respect to a single or several embodiments disclosedherein before, e.g. verifying whether the browser is compatible with anextra URL part if present according to first step s1, S1 in both FIGS.1, 2, may be present also in another embodiment, e.g. copying the URLcontaining the generated extra URL part into the clipboard according tostep s4 in FIG. 2, except it is/they are specified not to be present orit is impossible for it/them to be present for technical reasons.

While certain exemplary embodiments of a communication device, acommunication system, and methods of making and using the same have beenshown and described above, it is to be distinctly understood that theinvention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodiedand practiced within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for referring to specific content on a web page, comprising: addressing the web page by way of a uniform resource locator (URL) having at least one extra part of the URL that contains information on the specific content to be referred to on the web page; wherein, the extra part of the URL is configured so that when the web page of the URL is generated to be displayed, the specific content of the web page is highlighted and/or referred to as defined by the extra part for a browser that supports the extra part of the URL; and wherein the extra part of the URL is also configured to be disregarded or omitted by a browser that does not support the extra part of the URL such that the web page is addressed by way of the URL without use of the extra part so that the extra part is disregarded.
 2. The method according to claim 1 comprising: displaying the web page based on each extra part of the URL such that the specific content to be referred to as defined in the extra part is highlighted.
 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein each extra part contains information on at least one keyword, at least one phrase and/or at least one section to be referred to and/or highlighted on the web page.
 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the web page is displayed by a device running a browser.
 5. The method according to claim 4 comprising: verifying whether the at least one extra part of the URL is readable by a browser of a device running the browser; and one of: displaying the web page by disregarding the at least one extra part and specific content to be highlighted and/or referred to via the at least one extra part when the browser is unable to read the extra part of the URL, and displaying the web page along with the specific content as defined by the at least one extra part of the URL when the at least one extra part is readable by the browser.
 6. The method according to claim 5, comprising displaying the web page having the URL via a browser running on a device; generating the at least one extra part of the URL by marking specific content to be referred to on the web page to generate the extra part of the URL based on the marking of the specific content and subsequently generating the extra part of the URL based on the marking, and adding the generated extra part to the URL of the web page by a specific program integrated into a browser of the device that was run to display the webpage having the URL to store the URL having the extra part in a data store of the device.
 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the adding of the corresponding extra part to the URL is executed by a right-click on a terminal device.
 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the generated extra part of the URL comprises a syntax of at least one character followed by an Equal-to-sign.
 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one extra part of the URL is comprised by another URL as an extension of the other URL addressing the web page without the specific content to be referred to on the web page.
 10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the URL containing the extra part of the URL is copied to a clipboard of the device such that the URL having the extra part is subsequently pasteable into a browser or a message.
 11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program stored thereon that is configured such that a device running the program performs the method of claim
 1. 12. A web browsing system comprising: a display device and a non-transitory computer readable medium connected to a processor, the system configured to address a web page by way of a uniform resource locator (URL), the system configured to display the web page and highlight specific content to be referred to on the web page via the display device, the system configured to generate at least one extra part of the URL containing information on specific content of the web page to be referred to on the web page to define how that specific content is to be displayed so that when the URL is modified by each extra part of the URL the web page is addressable by way of the modified URL in that the specific content to be referred to on the web page is displayed as defined by the extra part; and wherein each extra part of the URL is configured such that the modified URL having each extra part is displayable as only defined by the URL without reference to any extra part for a device that does not support functionality of the extra part; and wherein, each extra part of the URL is configured so that the web page is displayed as defined by the extra part when a device supports the extra part.
 13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the system is configured so that marking specific content to be referred to on the web page by a user is performed via manipulation of a cursor displayed via the display device by manipulation of an input device.
 14. The system according to claim 13 wherein the system is configured so that the display device displays a graphical user interface to display the web page to the user and for displaying information relating to received inputs from at least one input device utilizable by the user.
 15. The system of claim 12, wherein the system is a communication terminal device.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the communication terminal device is a smart phone or is a tablet.
 17. The system of claim 12, wherein the extra part is appended to an end of the URL to form the modified URL containing the extra part.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the extra part is comprises a syntax of at least one character followed by an Equal-to-sign.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the modified URL containing the extra part of the URL is storable in a data store such that the URL having the extra part is subsequently pasteable into a message that is displayable via the display device and is sendable to at least one addressee. 